Jam Out to the Vancouver International Jazz Festival
It's time to get excited for the 40th annual Vancouver International Jazz Festival (VIJF) and its impressive lineup of both free and ticketed programming for twelve days of live music at over 180 events (with 50 free shows) from June 20 to July 1.
Concertgoers can expect a wide variety of trailblazing local and international artists performing jazz, blues, soul, pop, folk, and improvisational music at a variety of venues across the city, including downtown patios, intimate clubs, outdoor venues, and more.
VIJF is one of many cultural festivals our downtown core hosts each month, making Vancouver a year-round destination for visitors looking for diverse and exciting entertainment options.
Embrace the local jazz scene and performing artists like Krystle Dos Santos, Confiture, the John Nicholson Quintet, the Jon Bentley Quartet, Sun System Plays Sun Ra, and the Vancouver Youth Jazz Orchestra.
Headliners
This year's festival features headlining performances by bassist Richard Bona Asante Trio on June 23 and legendary guitarist Bill Frisell Trio with Thomas Morgan & Rudy Royston on June 24 at the Vancouver Playhouse.
The Grammy-winning Bona is one of the most accomplished international bass players, composers, and multi-instrumentalists in world, jazz, and Afropop music. Frisell is a world-class guitarist and composer who has been a regular at VIJF since his first appearance in 1986. Audiences should expect a full dose of joyful mastery from both these performances.
Downtown Jazz
On VIJF's opening weekend, enjoy the trademark Downtown Jazz series at the Vancouver Art Gallery on šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square with a full day of high-energy shows by local and international artists, including a headlining performance by the band Kneebody.
There will also be five free happy hour concerts at Bentall Centre on the Dunsmuir Patio. Watch these fun performances while browsing its marketplace of merchants, vendors, food trucks, games, and a licensed beer garden.
Free Downtown Jazz @ Vancouver Art Gallery – June 21-22
- Free shows from 1pm-8:30 pm
- Georgia Street stage with performances by (Saturday) Amphibioux, Feven Kidane Sextet, Hanging Hearts, Empanadas Ilegales, and Kneebody; (Sunday) Jill Townsend Jazz Orchestra, Super K, Garret T. Willie, Dawn Pemberton, and Makaya McCraven
- Sounds of Youth stage with performances by some of Metro Vancouver's best high school jazz combos and big bands
Bentall Centre Happy Hour Series @ Bentall Centre & Dunsmuir Patio – June 23-27
- Free shows daily from 4-6pm
- Performances by Jonny Tobin (June 23), Parlour Panther (June 24), Colin Sankey Band (June 25), Kristin Fung (June 26), and Malcolm Aiken Quintet (June 27)
Also, don't miss the five Free Workshops (open to everyone) for jazz fans and enthusiasts to learn firsthand from professional musicians at Tom Lee Music Hall on Granville every day at 1pm from June 23-27.
Granville Island Jazz
Granville Island will once again be the hub for festival activity, with free and ticketed shows at Performance Works, Ocean Artworks, and the Revue Stage, culminating in a slate of pay-what-you-can shows on Canada Day. To close out VIJF, the festival will host a day of family-friendly, free programming with sounds ranging from New Orleans-style to Afro jazz to surf rock and music from '90s cult classic Japanese anime.
Free Concert Series @ Ocean Artworks – July 1
- Free shows with live music from 12-10pm
- Performances by Evan Arntzen with special guest Lloyd Arntzen (12pm), Feven Kidane Plays Dido & The Handpeople (2:45pm), The ReViberators (5:30 pm), and Cowboy Bebop Bebop Band (8:15pm)
Jazz Clubs & Wine Bars
To extend your VIJF night out, hit up jazz clubs around town like Frankie's Jazz Club, Guilt and Company, or 2nd Floor Gastown (at Water St. Café). Before and after shows, grab a drink at one of Vancouver's finest wine and cocktail bars, including Bar Corso, Bar Gobo, Bar Tartare, Dear Gus, Grapes & Soda, Uva, or The Wine Bar (at Provence Marinaside).
Festival organizers, the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society (est. 1985), are a community-based arts organization that has worked for over forty years to make Vancouver a centre for creating sounds between musicians.
Its mission is to increase the appreciation of jazz music in all its creative forms and strengthen the arts by developing special projects, artistic exchanges, partnerships, collaborations, and educational initiatives. This year's Vancouver International Jazz Festival expects to attract over a hundred thousand people to its 40th edition.
To purchase tickets or browse the festival guide, visit Coastal Jazz's website.